Saying that scientists almost unanimously agree that human-caused climate change is occurring can help steer their thinking in that direction. One last month inNature Human Behaviorpublished study 1tested this “consensus message” in 27 countries and found that those who were least familiar with the message or skeptical of climate science were most likely to change their perspective when confronted with it.

Climate communications researchers with whom the news team fromNaturespoke, saying the findings contribute to a growing line of social science research that identifies the best strategies for teaching people that climate change is real — but that consensus messaging doesn't always lead to a lasting change in perspective.

For lasting change, the message must be personally relevant. Because " Climate change affects people, places and things, which we are loving right now,” says Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication in New Haven, Connecticut.

Communicate consensus

Many studies have shown that informing people about the scientific consensus on climate change can change their attitudes 2, 3. But most have focused on opinions about the climate in the United States. Bojana Većkalov, a social psychologist at the University of Amsterdam, and her colleagues wanted to see whether this message worked across cultures.